Dead people might not be what you think they are

Have you ever wondered where you'll go when you pass away? Will you protect your family as a star in the sky, as in the movies, or, as my brother claimed, will you return as a chicken, be murdered by a hungry Luhya man, perish, and then reappear as a mosquito? Will you spend your afterlife in an underworld realm hanging out with gods and demons, in hell or in heaven? There are numerous hypotheses and explanations that aim to explain the enigmatic nature of life after death. Despite this, we have evidence, such as the fact that your body dies and your spirit, or whatever you feel makes you alive as a human being, lives on.

You might be curious as to why I started saying all of these odd things. In the bustling western Kenyan town of Kakamega, I recently attended a funeral. The Luhyas' culture is highly renowned. From the brutal initiation ceremony of the Bukusu and Tirichi through their bull- and cockfighting binges. 

I recall being awakened by cries and yells one early, and having a gut feeling that there were battles going on outside. When I went outside, I saw my aunt pleading with the casket holding my deceased grandma to allow for a quiet burial. Oh, Namwasi vaane, Ombakale tsia sa no mulembe! But if she is already dead and unable to hear, why would she do it?  The fact that they truly believe very strongly that the dead influence our lives is very astounding.

 So, people actually believe this? I only believe in the power of words and the influence they have on us. However, I also believe in the complexity of life and the different surprises that unravel every single day. There's so much to this narrative because my tailor passed away and it is said when she was visited at the morgue, she was crying! Crying because she died a painful death. There's just so much to this life phenomena that we don't want to think about. The wishes of a dead person must be honoured otherwise they will haunt the one alive. Have I told you about my grandfather who is said to roam in our house because he didn't die in his home? Dead people cry, dead people walk, and they might even talk!  Enough with these chilling stories, but what have you heard about what dead people also do?